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Weathering and Erosion. Weathering and Erosion Vocabulary. Weathering – The chemical and physical processes that break-down rock at Earth’s surface. Mechanical weathering – The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces.
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Weathering and Erosion Vocabulary • Weathering – The chemical and physical processes that break-down rock at Earth’s surface. • Mechanical weathering – The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces.
Examples of mechanical weathering: • Ice wedging (freezing/thawing)– Water expands as it freezes and acts like a wedge. This is a process called ice wedging. • Releaseof pressure – When pressure • on rock is reduced, it causes outside rock • to crack. • Growth of Plants – Plant roots can pry apart and crack rocks. • Animal Actions – Burrowing can break apart rocks. • Abrasion – Rock particles carried by wind, water, and ice wear away a rock.
Chemical weathering – the process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.
Examples of chemical weathering: • Water – It can weather rocks by dissolving them. • Oxygen– It can cause oxidation of certain rocks • because it reacts with the metals in the rocks, like iron. • Carbon Dioxide –It mixes with water to form carbonic acid • which dissolves marble and limestone. • Living Organisms – Lichens and tree roots produce weak • acids that weather rocks. • Acid Rain – Elements like sulfur which combine • with water to make acid rain causes very rapid weathering.
Sediment – Earth material deposited by erosion. • Deposition – Process by which sediment is laid down in new locations.
Permeable – Characteristic of a material that is full of tiny, connected air spaces that water can seep through.
Erosion – The process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves weathered rock and soil. • Runoff – Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground.
Soil – The loose weathered material on Earth’s surface in which plants can grow. • Mass movement – Any one of several processes by which gravity moves sediment.
Groundwater – Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers. • Conservation - the careful use of natural resources (such as trees, oil, etc.) to prevent them from being lost or wasted. groundwater